Happiness Comes in Waves
by R011ingThunder
Summary: Unbroken promises, Sandcastles and play fights; Twilight escapades and Sleepless nights; Erza burns breakfast but everything turns out all right. Natsu and the gang bond over a trip to the beach! [Mazeverse] Team Natsu fic that leans Nalu and Grayza
1. Unbroken Promises

_This is the story of Lyon, who's head-over-heels for Juvia, who's pining after Gray, who's had a secret crush on Erza (basically since forever), but she's completely oblivious because she's totally in love with Jellal. Of Freed, who feels conflicted over his feelings for Mirajane who's ignoring him because she's not over Laxus who still misses what they used to have (even though he's mostly, completely over it). Of Loke who won't give up even though he knows that he has zero chance with Lucy, even though she's sick and tired of clueless, bone-headed Natsu who doesn't understand why there's a problem._

 _This is the Mazeverse series, a post-Tenrou AU with pairings galore. Gruvia, Lyvia, Grayza, Jerza, Nalu, Nali, Lolu, Graylu, Bixanna, Gale, ElfEver, Miraxus, Laxana, MiraFreed as well as a handful of crackships and rare-pairs as we try to pair the spares. This is the Mazeverse. No ship is safe ;)_

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 **Happy Friday! Who's having an awesome summer?  
**

 **Team Natsu's going to have an awesome 'summer' too, lol. Technically it's actually only April in their timeline, but I don't know it really matters. This story takes place a few weeks after the events of _Protective_ and _The Problem with Ranged Weapons_ (so April for those who are keeping score).**

 **guest : Thanks! It's always a pleasure to hear from you. I am all about the struggle, as you can probably tell, lol. Ah, heartbreak! One of those things that I enjoy so much more on paper than in real life! ;) ****I'm glad to be of some entertainment and hope that this piece is as satisfying as the last.**

 **\- K. Chandler**

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It had been just long enough for her to have forgotten all about it. It made Erza wonder if Gray had waited this long on purpose.

"So how does this weekend sound? Lucy and the Pyro should be free," said Gray. He had appeared next to her, leaning against the bar casually.

"For what?" Erza asked curiously.

Gray's expression pulled into a lazy grin. "You wanted to go to the beach, didn't you?"

Erza blinked at him. She _had_ asked to go to the beach.

She vaguely remembered telling him so, that time they were stuck up on Mount Haokbe. But, given the circumstances, she really hadn't expected him to remember. Then again, Gray always had a way of surprising her.

"Do you _not_ want to go anymore?" he asked. Gray's casualness seemed forced, his hands wedged deep in his pockets.

Erza shook her head. "…No… that's not it," she said. "The beach sounds great."

"Yeah?" asked Gray, though Erza could see the tension drain from his shoulders. "Okay, well, let's go then. I've found us a little beach house we can rent for 18000 Jewel a night. It's not ocean-front," he conceded apologetically. "But it's still close enough to the beach that we could walk."

Erza gave a thoughtful hum. "If we split it, that's 4500 a person? That's not bad," said Erza.

"An absolute steal," said Gray, nodding. "So I'll go ahead and book it for this weekend. Oh, but if you want Flame Brain and Lucy to come, you're in charge of making them."

"I thought you said they were free," said Erza.

"They are. But if you want this to be a team thing, that's on you to figure out," Gray reminded her with a grin.

"I'll take care of it."

"I know you will. See you this weekend," said Gray.

Erza couldn't help but smile to herself as he strode out of the guild.

The beach! Even though summer was just around the corner, Erza didn't want to wait. A weekend to soak up the rays on the beach would be just the thing.

"Sounds like a good time," said Mira, leaning over the bar.

"Anything that'll get the team together," said Erza.

Mira grinned, her eyes lighting up in amusement. "Is that all it is?"

"Of course, that's all it is," said Erza. "What else would it be?"

"Well…" said Mira innocently, tapping her chin as if in thought. "From over here, it looks a lot like—"

"Mira. Drop it," said Erza. She pulled out her lacrima to give Lucy a call.

"Hey, Erza! What's—Quit that! You dummy… What's up?" Lucy's voice crackled through the lacrima.

"Are you with Natsu?" guessed Erza. She wondered where they were. They hadn't been in the guild all day.

"—Yeah," admitted Lucy after a hesitant pause.

"Put me on speaker. He'll want to hear this too."

"Natsu, it's Erza. She wants to talk to both of us."

"What? No! Tell Erza she has to fight me first," came Natsu's voice.

"I heard that," growled Erza.

"Oh, crap!" Natsu whispered.

"Good going, Natsu," said Lucy. "You're on speaker."

"Erza's going to kill you!" Happy sang out.

"Hey, Erza!" said Natsu with a forced laugh. "What's going on?"

Erza considered reaming him out on the spot, but then decided against it. She didn't want to ruin their sea-side expedition. Instead she said, "Pack your bags. We're going on a team-building retreat this weekend."

"You mean like training in the mountains?" asked Natsu. "That could be pretty cool."

Erza heard what sounded like a high-five, probably between Natsu and Happy.

"Aw, please no!" whined Lucy.

"We're going to the beach," said Erza.

Lucy perked up immediately. "Sweet! That sounds like fun!"

"Lame," said Natsu. "You guys have fun. Me and Happy got some spring cleaning to do."

"You don't clean," said Lucy. "Your place is a sty!"

"It's not that bad," said Natsu.

"I found dirty dishes in your sock drawer!" shouted Lucy.

"I was wondering where those went off to," said Natsu.

"That's just gross."

"Natsu," interrupted Erza, her voice steely. "You _will_ be going to the beach. Don't make me tell you twice."

"…Yes, ma'am."

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 **Next time, in** ** _[Mazeverse] Happiness Comes in Waves,_ Team Natsu has fun with sandcastles: **_"How is this cheating? Natsu's spitting fireballs!"_

 **Stop back next Friday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	2. Sandcastles and Play Fights

**Happy Friday! I'm super excited for this week's chapter. It's one of my favorites pieces so far. As you can probably tell from the anomalously long chapter, it sort of got away from me, lol. I meant to do a few different scenes with beachy cliches and some team bonding... but this happened. You'll have to let me know how you thought I did. :)  
**

 **darling spider : Me too! Funny enough, Mira wasn't in the first few drafts of last week's scene. It was during the last pass that I realized that I was passing up a golden opportunity to make fun of Erza... and we certainly couldn't have that! Yeah, making fun of Erza is a hobby of mine, as is using Gray as a punching bag. That seems to be a theme around here... ;) Thanks for reviewing!**

 **guest : What an honor to hear you say that! I appreciate it; truly. Looks like you're onto me... I have quite the misadventure planned for these guys (speaking long-term plot, that is). I confess, I have a bad habit of making these poor dears miserable for my (our?) entertainment. I hope you're enjoying your summer as well. :) Thanks!**

 **\- K. Chandler**

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Lucy shrieked as she flailed through the air. She landed in the water with a loud splash.

And Natsu—the nerve!—just threw back his head and laughed.

Lucy staggered to her feet, shaking sopping hair out of her eyes.

"Natsu, I'm going to kill you!" she screeched, splashing a fistful of seawater at her teammate.

Natsu grinned, undaunted. "You gotta catch me first!" he whooped, springing out of the shallow water and bounding towards the shoreline.

Lucy lunged after him, gliding through the water until it was shallow enough to wade through. "Get back here! You can't just toss me in the water and run off!"

"Sorry, Luce! I just remembered. I promised Happy I'd go collect shells with him!" Natsu called, dodging around a little boy with a beachball before making a beeline towards his Exceed companion.

"You'd better run!" hollered Lucy. She gave an exasperated sigh, twisting her ponytail with both hands to wring the water out of it.

She wasn't really upset. Everyone knew that swimming was an absolute _must_ when going to the beach. Lucy had even bought herself a new bathing suit just for this trip. And it looked _awesome_ , if she did say so herself. It was just a shame that neither of the guys seemed to have noticed. Oh, well. Guys would be guys. Maybe when she dried off, she could go lay in the sun and show it off to someone more deserving.

Lucy spotted Erza amidst a sea of sunbathers. She was sprawled out on a towel, her nose in a book, totally rocking her little black bikini. It made her look sophisticated and mature. Then again, Erza always looked sophisticated.

Lucy was surprised to see that Gray was next to her. He was wearing nothing but a pair of swim trunks, a scowl and what looked like half a bottle of sunscreen. He'd taken refuge under an umbrella that, ironically, looked like it was made of _ice_.

Lucy's scrunched her nose. Obviously, her friends had a very different idea of how a beach trip was supposed to go.

"Why would you come all the way to the beach if you were just going to read a book?" Gray was asking.

It was a fair question, though Lucy was tempted to ask him why he came all the way to the beach to sulk in the shade.

"It's a good book," said Erza. "Besides, you don't have to hang around here. Why don't you go catch some waves?" She flipped the page. "I think I saw a place renting out surfboards and water-skis."

Gray crossed his arms over his chest. "I think I'll pass."

"You could see if Natsu wants to play volleyball," Erza suggested.

"Not if you don't want us to destroy half the beach. Besides, if Lucy can't stand him anymore," Gray said, shooting her a nod of acknowledgement. "Then I sure as heck don't wanna. Did the Pyro get to be too much to deal with?" he asked, his mouth twitching with amusement.

"Natsu's just off collecting shells with Happy," said Lucy. "I think he felt bad that Happy was all by himself. Do you want to go hang with them? That might be kind of fun." She pointed to the blue cat, gliding through the air, the plastic handle of a mustard-yellow pail clutched between his paws. Natsu traipsed behind him, grinning broadly.

"Yeah… No, thanks," said Gray. "I think I'd rather hang myself."

"Wow, someone's a grump today. I'm surprised you're not more into this, Gray. This is the one place where you can dress like _that_ and not get judged," Lucy teased, hoping to snap him out of his mood.

"Don't encourage him, Lucy," said Erza without looking from her book.

"Nothing wrong if he wants to get some sun and work on his tan."

"I pretty much always burn before I tan," said Gray. "So, it's actually not that great. Just so you know, the beach does not rank on my list of Top Ten Favorite Places."

"That sucks," said Lucy. "Why did you want to come to the beach anyways?"

Gray paused, as if to consider this, his eyes flitting towards Erza as his scowl deepened. She had probably coerced him the same way she had forced Happy and Natsu to come.

"There's gotta be something you like about the beach," Lucy tried again. "It can't be all bad."

Gray's gaze darted back to Lucy, a sudden spark of mischief glinted in his eyes. "I guess I like sandcastles. They can be pretty fun," offered Gray, his annoyance fading.

"Sandcastles?" repeated Lucy, still trying to wrap her mind around her friend's sudden enthusiasm. She would never understand how Gray managed to go from moody to amused in the matter of seconds.

"Yep. C'mon. I'll show you," he said. "Since I can't hide behind a tattered old paperback like _somebody_ ," he added, shooting Erza another meaningful look.

Lucy watched curiously as Gray sauntered to an open area in the middle of the beach, away from the crew of squealing children tossing a frisbee and the elderly couple doing tai chi. With swift motions, he molded a bucket and spade out of ice. On his hands and knees, he started to craft a structure from the wet sand.

Fascinated, Lucy watched as Gray worked. Careful hands carved windows into walls and smoothed ramparts on towers. His attention to detail was tremendous.

"Whoa, you're good at this," said Lucy.

"Wanna try?" he asked, offering Lucy his bucket before molding himself another. "Come on, Erza," he called over his shoulder. "The book'll still be there when we get home."

"I suppose that's true." Erza relented with a shrug, shutting her book with a snap and joining them out onto the sand.

Lucy watched enviously as Gray worked. "How do you get it to stay up like that?" she asked. Her own castle was already collapsing on one side.

Gray shrugged. "It's kinda like molding ice. Just less clean," he said, reaching out to help her fix her crumbling castle wall. "You need to pack your sand a little bit tighter. Then it won't fall apart on you."

"It's not that hard," said Erza. She had constructed a hulking monstrosity of a structure that looked like some other-worldly tower.

"What's that supposed to be?" asked Gray.

"A bakery," said Erza.

Gray squinted, tilting his head to the side. "Looks more like some kind of alien to me…" he observed.

"What was that?" growled Erza, her eyes narrowing.

"Nothing," said Gray quickly. "Not a thing…"

"Very wise," said Erza.

"Let's make it even bigger," said Gray. He erected a thick wall, joining his castle to Erza's 'bakery'. "Lucy?" he asked, nodding at her miserable excuse for a castle.

"Go for it," she said, not really sure what Gray was hoping to accomplish.

With a sweep of his hand, Gray incorporated Lucy's creation into their castle by adding another wall to connect it. Once it was joined up with the rest of the structure, Lucy's castle didn't look half-bad.

But Gray was still frowning, humming thoughtfully as he scrutinized their sandcastle. "Something's still missing…" he said. "Hey, I've got it. Can you girls work up another tower—I mean, bakery—to match the first one? I'll start on a back for this thing."

"A fine idea," said Erza. "Come along, Lucy. We have a bakery to complete!"

Erza wasn't quite as skilled as Gray was, but what she lacked in ability, she made up for in enthusiasm. At her direction, she and Lucy managed to cobble together another monstrous looking tower.

"It looks more like a fort than a castle," said Lucy, when they had finished. She brushed away the sand that clung to her palms.

"I think it looks pretty darn good," said Gray, putting the finishing touches onto the rear parapet.

"As it should," remarked Erza. "It has two bakeries, after all."

"Of _course_ …" said Lucy.

Happy and Natsu joined them as they surveyed their creation.

"Hey, guys, check this out!" Happy chirped. He beat his wings frantically, a lopsided bucket of shells swaying from his paws. "Me and Natsu found all these shells, but not one of them had a crab in it…"

"Y'know, that might not be a bad thing…" muttered Gray.

"What are you guys up to?" asked Natsu. His eyes widened as he finally spotted their sandcastle.

"Whoa! That thing's _huge_!" yelped Happy.

"Pretty nice, huh?" said Lucy.

Natsu frowned. "It's not _that_ impressive," said Natsu, waving his hand dismissively.

"You think you could do better, Flame Brain?" asked Gray, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Of course, I can!" Claiming a clear area further down the beach, Natsu dropped to his hands and knees. Hastily, he shoveled a mound of sand together, packing it together with his hands. Natsu continued until he had created a pile that was large enough for him to hide behind. "Take that, Ice Princess! Mine's taller!" he hollered.

"You call that a castle?" Gray sneered.

"It's _my_ castle," said Natsu.

"If you say so," shrugged Gray.

"You're just jealous 'cause mine's taller," insisted Natsu.

"Not for long." Gray brought his hands together, freezing their castle. Then he made a sweeping gesture, palms pointed skyward.

Frost nipped at Lucy's bare skin as ice surged around them. Where their castle once stood was an elaborate, icy structure with walls that reached Lucy's chest and towers taller than she was. Despite the larger size, the ice castle looked just like the original, but with the precise lines that characterized Gray's Ice-Make magic.

But it wasn't just ice. Gray had frozen the wet sand. With a final gesture, Gray let the ice dissipate, leaving the sand packed in the same, exact shape.

"Whoa!" gasped Lucy.

"Impressive…" said Erza, nodding appreciatively.

Gray looked smug. "Glad you think so."

Natsu made a face. "You can't do that!" retorted Natsu.

"And whatcha gonna do about it, Flame Brain?"

"That sounds like a challenge to me! I'm all fired up now!" shouted Natsu.

" _What_? What are you talking about?" scoffed Gray.

Natsu whispered something to Happy. The Exceed's mouth pulled into a mischievous grin.

"They're up to something…" said Lucy as she ducked back into their fort.

"Doubt it," said Gray shaking his head. "Ash-for-Brains ain't that smart."

"Don't underestimate him, Gray," warned Erza.

Gray shook his head. "It's _Natsu_. Do you really think—"

"Think fast, Luce!" interrupted Natsu's voice.

Before Lucy could figure out what he meant, she felt the ground vanish from beneath her feet.

"What?! Hey!" shrieked Lucy. She didn't need to look to know that Happy had airlifted her. "Put me down, cat!" she snapped.

"Uh-uh! Natsu said to kidnap you!" chirped Happy.

" _Nat-su_!" Lucy screeched, flailing in the Exceed's grasp. She could feel the tie at the back of her neck start to stretch. She went still, praying that her swimsuit would hold up.

"Huh? Did I really say that?" asked Natsu.

"Yeah, you did," said Happy, depositing her gently in the sand behind Natsu's giant sand dune.

Natsu frowned, scratching his head. But then he grinned, giving himself away. "Nice work, Happy!" he said, unable to contain his glee any longer.

"What did you do that for?" she asked, frowning at him.

Natsu looked up at her, his eyes earnest. "I _need_ you, Luce," said Natsu.

"You… _need_ me?" asked Lucy quietly. She could feel here pulse flutter in her veins.

"Yeah. 'Cause we're making this a two-on-two!" shouted Natsu, punching his fist against his palm. He grinned broadly before turning to face Gray and Erza, continuing to shout. "Then we can take down the Ice Cube and Erza. This is gonna be great! We're gonna kick their butts!"

"Oh…" huffed Lucy.

Typical Natsu.

But for some reason, Lucy couldn't help but feel disappointed.

"You mean two-on-three!" insisted Happy.

"Take her! You still won't win," shouted Gray.

"Says you," Natsu shouted back. "What good is your castle? I just stole the princess out from under your noses!"

"The princess is yours," declared Erza. "No matter. We still have our queen!"

"That's right!" shouted Gray. "The Queen of the Fairies is—"

"No, not _that_!" interrupted Erza.

"No?" said Gray.

"I was referring to you, Gray."

" _Me_?" he choked, his head jerking back comically.

Natsu caught Lucy's eye, motioning for her to duck behind their dune with him. As soon as she joined him, Natsu whooped with laughter. "This is why I love Erza!" he snickered, his eyes bright. "That girl is _nuts_ most of the time, but she might be better at pushing Gray's buttons than me."

From behind the dune, Gray and Erza's voices sounded muffled, but it was still easy to hear their conversation.

"I feel like there's a complement in there somewhere, but I'm struggling to see it," Gray said to Erza.

"Is the queen not the most versatile piece on the chessboard?" asked Erza. "Not unlike your magic, I think."

"Sure, but then what does that make you?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Erza paused, her voice dipping low. "I am… the knight."

"Erza, I think you might have that one backwards…" said Gray.

"Isn't that how chess works?" asked Erza.

Lucy let out a disbelieving breath, her shoulders deflating. "Seriously, Erza?" she mumbled.

Natsu was rolling on the ground with laughter. "Nice one, Ice Block! I mean, Ice _Queen_!"

"Shut up, Ash-for-Brains!" Gray barked.

Happy raised a paw. "Hey, Lucy? If Gray's the queen, and Erza's his knight, and you're the princess, what does that make Natsu?" he asked, his eyes wide.

"The Court Jester?" suggested Lucy. She reached out to rub the top of Happy's head.

"No way!" exclaimed Natsu, climbing to his feet again. He grinned, jerking a thumb at himself. "I'm the dragon. Duh."

"Says who?" asked Gray.

"Says me!" Natsu threw back his head, taking a deep breath. " _Fire-Dragon: Roar!_ "

"Down!" shouted Erza.

"Did you just attack them?" Lucy asked Natsu.

"Pretty sweet, huh?" said Natsu, grinning.

Lucy groaned. She scrambled to her feet, peeking out from around their dune to assess the damage. It had only been a small roar, but Natsu's attack had torn through the front of Gray and Erza's castle and demolished one of the walls.

"Hey, you okay?" Gray asked Erza. Then his head popped up from behind their damaged fort. "Natsu, that's going too far!" he shouted. "Crazy Pyro…"

"We _shall_ _not_ be defeated!" declared Erza, shoveling the ruined wall back together hastily. "That challenge cannot be allowed to stand," she said to Gray.

Gray nodded. "I hear ya," he said.

His hands made sharp movements as he brought his palms to the side of his castle. Ice spread across the perimeter, encasing Gray and Erza's fortress in a protective layer. This time, he left the ice in place.

"There. That'll hold it for now it," muttered Gray.

"Gray, that's cheating!" complained Lucy.

"How is _this_ cheating? Natsu's spitting fireballs!"

Lucy didn't have a good answer to that one. But if that was how the other side wanted to play, she and Natsu would just have step it up. It was her turn to contribute. Ducking behind the sand again, Lucy reached for the keys hanging at her waist.

"I got this," she said to Natsu.

"Good thinking, Luce!" said Natsu. "They'll never know what hit 'em."

Grinning, Lucy took two of her golden keys in her hand. She didn't have to look to find the right ones. Each linked her to a precious friend and she could tell them apart by touch. Jabbing her chosen keys in the air, she whispered the incantations that she normally would have shouted. Erza and Gray didn't know what she was up to yet, and she wanted to keep the element of surprise for as long as possible.

With a shimmer, two of her friends from the Celestial World appeared before her.

"Hey, there, Beautiful. What's happening?" greeted Loke.

"You summoned me, Princess?" asked Virgo with a slight bow.

"It's nothing bad," said Lucy quickly. "So we took a little beach vacation."

"And you didn't invite me?" crooned Loke. "I'm hurt."

"You knew we were going," Lucy pointed out. "I know you did."

"Yeah… I did," said Loke with a shrug. "You look nice, by the way." He gave her an appreciative look.

Finally! Somebody who appreciated the effort she put into her appearance! But Lucy didn't have time to enjoy the complement, as Virgo was all business.

"Why did you summon us?" asked Virgo, her expression blank-as-ever.

"So I totally need your help."

"Anything," said Loke.

"You need us to punish somebody?" asked Virgo eagerly.

"Gray and Erza, actually," said Lucy. "They've built that fort over there, and we're going to take them down. Hey, Virgo? Do you think you can dig through the sand and attack them from below?"

"I can try," said Virgo, starting to bore through the sand.

"What about me?" asked Loke.

"I need you to keep Gray busy long enough for Virgo to get through."

"You got it!" he said, popping up next to Natsu. Then he cringed. "Ooh. When you said fort, you weren't kidding."

Natsu had managed to melt through the parts of the ice that encased the other team's fortress. But Gray had converted Erza's bakery-towers into turrets that fired chunks of ice. He hadn't managed to hit their castle, but it was all Natsu could do to keep up with the onslaught.

"Loke?! Wait. What happened to two-on-two?" shouted Gray. "Now _that's_ cheating."

"You mean two-on-three!" insisted Happy.

"We'll take you _all_ on!" bellowed Erza.

"Nobody said that magic was off limits!" shouted Natsu. "Bring it on, you guys!"

"Be careful what you wish for," hissed Erza, her voice dangerously low.

"Take it back, take it back!" squealed Lucy, her shoulders hunching in panic. "Erza, we're sorry!"

But it was too late. A swell of light engulfed the fearsome Requip Mage.

Lucy's face scrunched. Erza was about to _obliterate_ them with her armor. While she didn't doubt the other girl's talent, Lucy couldn't help but feel that Erza made it look too easy. All she had to do was put on a different armor and she'd suddenly be invincible.

It defied common sense. Oh, well. One day, Lucy promised herself, _she'd_ be able to do the same thing.

But now wasn't the time to be petty. She had to deal with Erza's latest wardrobe choice: a scaly green breastplate with matching gauntlets and greaves. Her headdress sported wide, webbed fins.

"That's her Sea Empress Armor," mumbled Lucy.

Erza gave a triumphant yell, brandishing her sword.

"And what's that supposed t—mph!" Natsu was cut off when Erza sent a well-aimed jet of water at his face. "Oh, come _on_!"

"Problem?" asked Erza smugly.

"Yeah, I got a—" Natsu started to say.

"Don't look now, but we have a visitor," said Gray, glancing towards his feet.

"No! Virgo!" whispered Lucy. She knew that Gray and Erza wouldn't do anything really vicious, but she couldn't help the way her heart leapt into the back of her throat.

"You know what to do," said Erza.

Gray motioned, but Lucy couldn't see what he was doing. As he stepped away, he waved for Erza to proceed. With a roar, Erza thrust her sword into the ground.

Lucy gasped. Surely, Erza couldn't have…

"What happened? Is she okay?" demanded Loke, withdrawing from the fight to help.

Lucy and Loke huddled around the entrance of the tunnel that Virgo had dug. Frost had crept through the tunnel, covering the entire interior with a layer of ice.

"He iced it over," said Loke, frowning. "What's he up to?"

A surge of water blasted from the tunnel, soaking the two mages and sending Virgo back into the arms of her own teammates.

"Virgo?!" asked Lucy.

"They flooded her tunnel?" asked Loke.

"They sealed up the other end of her tunnel and washed her back," Lucy mumbled in disbelief.

"Virgo, you're all right…" said Loke, sighing in relief. He brushed Virgo's wet hair out of her face.

"That was fun," Virgo said. Her chest heaved as she gasped for air, but otherwise she seemed unshaken. "Should we do it again?" she asked. The only emotion on her face was the wicked spark of excitement that flashed in her eyes.

"Let's not," said Loke quickly.

"As you wish," said Virgo stoically.

"We have to up our game if we—" Lucy started to say.

"Time to get serious, Gray," said Erza.

"Just say the word," he replied.

"That _wasn't_ serious?" asked Lucy. "We're _so_ screwed…"

Gray and Erza's teamwork was frighteningly effective.

"Aim for center of his castle-thing," commanded Erza. "It's time to end this."

"Yes, ma'am. One castle-thing, comin' down!" said Gray, doubling rate of fire from his ice-turrets.

"What? Hey!" sputtered Natsu. "That jerk was holdin' out on us!"

Before anyone could react, their world exploded in a cloud of sand. Lucy slammed her eyes shut.

"Sorry, Beautiful. I think we've done all we can here," came Loke's voice. Lucy could feel him fading away. "Me and Virgo are gonna head back now."

"Good luck, Princess," Virgo chimed in as she, too, dematerialized.

Lucy opened her mouth to answer but ended up with a mouthful of sand instead. She coughed as it got caught in her throat.

Suddenly, a large hand was against her back. It guided her forward until she was leaning against something sturdy. Her face had landed on something surprisingly soft.

It took her a moment to recognize the spicy notes of Natsu's signature cologne. Lucy cracked her eyes open cautiously. He'd pulled her to his chest, her head pillowed against the scarf bunched up near his collarbone.

"We're okay," he mumbled, his breath hot in her ear. "I gotcha, Luce."

"Where's Happy?" she whispered. She felt breathless, but it had nothing to do with the sand she had inhaled.

"I got him right here," said Natsu. "He's fine."

It couldn't have taken more than a minute for the sand to settle, but in Natsu's arms, time seemed to slow.

Their teammates rushed over as soon as the dust cleared.

"You guys okay?" asked Gray, sprinting up to them, followed closely by Erza. Guilt flashed in Gray's eyes. "Sorry. I mighta overdone it with that last one."

That was the understatement of the century. Some of the other beachgoers had made themselves scarce when their little sand battle had started, but Gray's last attack had completely cleared out the beach.

"We're not through with you yet!" coughed Natsu. He let go of Lucy to shake his fist at their victorious teammates.

She regretted the loss of contact, though she wasn't quite sure why.

"I think we're done, Natsu," Lucy said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"But—"

"We're done. We surrender," said Lucy, flopping onto her back. There was sand in her hair. There was sand in her ears. She was pretty sure she'd be finding sand in places she didn't know existed.

"That was well played," said Erza, nodding approvingly. "It was a close match."

"I'll say," agreed Gray.

"We'll beat you next time," promised Natsu, grinning broadly.

"So, who's up for ice cream?" asked Gray.

"I think I want strawberry," said Erza.

"Sounds good," said Natsu. "Right, Happy?"

"Aye, sir!" chirped Happy, climbing up on Natsu's shoulder.

Lucy groaned, letting her head loll sideways. How were they not tired? She was exhausted! "Just bring me back something. I don't care what."

"Strawberry it is!" said Erza.

* * *

 **So, what did you think?**

 **Next time, in** ** _[Mazeverse] Happiness Comes in Waves,_ Natsu takes a midnight excursion _:_** _"This had better be good, Natsu."_

 **Stop back next Friday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	3. Twilight Escapades

**Happy Friday! More Nalu fluffies for you this week. :)  
**

 **strongasdiamond : Aw, thanks a bunch! Those were my favorite parts too. :) 'Instinct' is a great word for Natsu. I think he doesn't fully get why he's doing what he does. I think Natsu and Lucy are absolutely adorbs, even though I don't write a lot of them. (A lot of people write for Nalu, so I feel like I don't add anything. I tend to write ships that are less mainstream. Like Grayza. Or Loke X Virgo... is that a thing? It _totally_ should be a thing. XD)**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Natsu traced the crack that zig-zagged across the ceiling.

Sleep was just not coming to him tonight. He wasn't sure what time it was, but he was pretty sure he had been lying awake for hours.

Gray was sleeping the night away in the other bed. He had hit the sack early, saying something about an early morning run. No amount of pestering would get him to change his mind. Happy had stayed up to play a couple rounds of Go Fish, but soon the little Exceed's eyes had started to droop too.

And that left Natsu to stare at the ceiling and try not to wake the others, which was really hard, considering how bored he was. Natsu was tempted to see if Lucy had any makeup or something so he could draw on the Ice Princess' face. Now, _that_ would be fun.

This whole trip had been pretty fun, all things considered. He never thought that whatever team-making, field-tripping crap that Erza dreamed up would be anything but super lame, but Natsu was a big enough person to admit when he was wrong.

He had even gotten to see Lucy in a new swimsuit. He didn't say anything to her about it, obviously. He didn't need her getting the idea that he was some kind of a creep.

That little sandcastle war was pretty cool too. And Erza hadn't even yelled at them for destroying half the beach. But something bothered him about the end of their little fight. It wasn't the fact that Gray and Erza had won—although he'd _definitely_ have to fix that with a rematch.

It was the fact that he had… panicked. Not panicked, exactly. It wasn't like he was afraid or anything. But when Gray blew up their sandcastle, Natsu's first instinct was to find Lucy. For some reason, he felt like he needed to protect her from… well, pretty much nothing.

He wasn't quite sure why he had done that. They were only playing around, and it was only a little sand. It wasn't like they were in any danger.

It was weird and confusing and definitely not worth worrying about. After all, Lucy didn't seem bothered by it. Why should he?

Natsu wondered what Lucy was doing. What if she couldn't sleep either? She was probably as bored as he was.

There was only one way to fix that.

Natsu prodded Happy awake.

"Hmm? Natsu, what are—"

Natsu put a hand over Happy's mouth. "Shhh! You're gonna wake the Ice Block," whispered Natsu.

"What are we doing?" whispered Happy.

"Let's go see if Lucy's still up," said Natsu, climbing out of bed.

"She's probably sleeping, Natsu. Most of us are," Happy reminded him.

"Well, it's not gonna hurt to check, is it?" asked Natsu, slipping over to the window.

"Fine," said Happy, starting for the door. "But if Erza goes psycho-yelly on us, it's your fault. What are you doing?" asked Happy.

"Checking on Luce. What else?" said Natsu.

"But they're right down the hall," whispered Happy.

"But we always use the window," insisted Natsu. "It's like a tradition." He reached for the sill, trying to open it, but it wouldn't give. Was it jammed?

"Wouldn't the door be easier?"

"The window's more fun." With a mighty shove, Natsu jerked up on the pane. It moved with a sharp _screech_.

"Oops…" Natsu froze, shooting a guilty glance at Gray. He let out a sigh when the Ice-Mage stirred, but didn't wake. "I think that's open enough."

"Are you going to fit?" asked Happy, eying the small space dubiously.

"Of course, I'll fit," said Natsu. "Why don't you go first? You can catch me on the other side."

"Aye, sir!" whispered Happy. He slipped out the window with ease, hovering right outside. "Okay, your turn, Natsu."

Scrunching his shoulders, Natsu poked his head outside. It was a tight fit, but he'd manage. The metal edge of the window frame dug into his stomach as he squeezed past it. Maybe he'd use the door when he came back in.

"You made it!" cheered Happy, hoisting him into the air.

"What did I tell ya? Now to find the girls' room."

Happy pulled Natsu straight up, taking him high into the sky.

"Um, Happy? The girls were across the hall."

"I know that. I'm taking a short cut," he said. "Up and over."

Above the beach house, the air seemed clearer. Natsu took a deep breath, tipping his head back. Like a splattering of paint, stars painted the majestic purples and stoic blues of the night sky.

"Pretty!" purred Happy.

"I guess it's nice," said Natsu, shrugging.

The beach house was small, so it wasn't hard to locate the girls' room once they had reached the other side.

"You know Erza's going to kill us, right?" asked Happy.

"I'm not scared of Erza," said Natsu.

"I am," said Happy.

"Don't worry, little buddy. I'll protect you."

"Yeah, right."

Natsu frowned, tipping his head back to look up at his Exceed partner. "What's that supposed to mean? Don't you trust me, Happy?"

"No, I just don't think you can do it."

" _What?!_ " squawked Natsu. "C'mon, Happy…"

Natsu pressed his face against the girls window, appreciating his luck that it was Lucy—and not Erza—who had taken the bed next to the window.

"I wonder if I can open it from the outside…" said Natsu.

"If it squeaks like the one in our room, then we're done for," Happy pointed out.

Natsu couldn't deny that the Exceed had a point. Still, Lucy wouldn't be able to hear him if he didn't try. Natsu wasn't stupid enough to knock on the glass. Erza would probably punch his lights out—that is, _attempt_ to punch his lights out—if he woke her up. Instead, Natsu wedged his fingers near the bottom of the pane, slowing working it up by an inch.

"Psst! Lucy!" he hissed.

Lucy gave a sleepy mumble, rolling over.

"Natsu, I don't think she can hear you," Happy said.

" _Lucy!_ " Natsu cupped his hands around his mouth and leaned towards the open window.

"N-natsu!" she mumbled, jerking up in bed.

Natsu grinned at her, giving a cheerful wave.

Lucy rolled her eyes, but she slipped out of bed and padded to the window. It glided easily as she pushed it open—thankfully silent. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Couldn't sleep," he whispered.

"Well, some of us want to," she complained. "Why don't you go back to your own room?"

"Aw, that's no fun!"

"Aren't you tired?" she asked, shaking her head in disbelief. "I don't know about you, but after today, I'm _exhausted_. I'm going back to bed. Good night." Lucy started to shut the window.

"Wait, wait, wait. Hang on," said Natsu, catching hold of her wrist to stop her. He was surprised at how small and delicate it seemed.

"What _now_?" she groaned.

Now? Natsu blinked. He hadn't really come with a plan.

"I want to show you something," he said.

 _Great_. Now he had to figure out what he could show her.

"This had _better_ be good, Natsu."

"It will be. Trust me," he said, motioning for Happy to take him upwards.

" _Natsu_! What are you—"

"Just… hang on a sec," he called. "Okay, little buddy. Rooftop."

"What are you planning?" asked Happy, setting Natsu down.

Planning? Yeah. There was no planning involved here.

"Okay, now go and bring Luce up here."

"Seriously?" asked Happy.

"Yeah," shrugged Natsu. He dropped to sit on the narrow ridge of the roof. He kicked his legs, waiting for Happy to return with Lucy.

He heard them before he saw them.

"The roof?! Are you crazy?" screeched Lucy.

"Don't yell at me. It was Natsu's idea, not mine," said Happy.

" _Whoa_! Don't you _dare_ drop me, cat," said Lucy, as the blonde of her hair came into view.

"Hiya, Luce," said Natsu, waving for Happy to bring her over. "Careful, there. You okay?" He reached out to help her get her footing.

"So what was the big deal?" she asked, settling next to him.

"Figured I'd show you the roof," shrugged Natsu.

"You woke me up for _this_?" she asked, irritable.

"Wait for it…" he said, pausing dramatically.

"Wait for what?"

"Now, look up!" he shouted.

Lucy did as he asked, her eyes widening as she caught sight of the smattering of stars that decorated the sky above. "Natsu!" gasped Lucy, her hand flying to her parted lips as she took in the majestic sight.

"Pretty cool, huh?" he asked.

"That's… beautiful," she murmured, the starlight reflecting in her eyes.

"I know, right?" But Natsu wasn't looking at the sky as he answered. His eyes traced the graceful curve of her neck and the gentle smile on her lips.

Lucy reached up, as if trying to pull a star from the sky. "Up here they seem so close," she said.

"Yeah. Real close," agreed Natsu.

"I've always wanted to touch the stars…" mused Lucy. "When I was a little girl, I used to pretend that I could reach up and put one in my pocket."

"Guess I'll have to take you, someday," said Natsu.

" _What_? Natsu, what are you talking about? You can't touch the stars. That's just silly!"

"Sure, I can," said Natsu seriously. "With Happy." He cracked a playful grin that made Lucy roll her eyes.

"Aye, sir!" cheered the Exceed.

"Idiot," muttered Lucy. She let out a fond sigh as she dropped her head against Natsu's shoulders.

Natsu pulled her against him. She smelled like peaches and cardamom and something that Natsu couldn't quite put his finger on.

Lucy let out a contented sigh. "Thanks for bringing me up here," she said.

"I'd bring you anywhere," said Natsu.

* * *

 **So, d'you think Natsu is smart enough to like girls? He's struggling with the idea, and so am I, lol!**

 **If you liked this and are looking for more Nalu, I would recommend checking out [Mazeverse] _Secret Valentine._**

 **Next time, in** ** _[Mazeverse] Happiness Comes in Waves_ : **_This wasn't his room. Where was he? That's right. They were at the beach._

 **Stop back next Friday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	4. Sleepless Nights

**Happy Friday!**

 **strongasdiamond: Aw, thanks—that's sweet of you! It isn't always easy to write rare-pairs... so it makes me glad that you're interested! :)** **I totally see Nalu that way too.** **That line you picked out is what I consider to be my defining concept for Natsu and Lucy! (Defining concept is basically the core of how I want to portray a ship or a character. Every ship in Mazeverse, whether successful or not, has one.) Thanks for the review! It's always a pleasure to hear from you.**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

There was someone screaming.

Gray jerked, torn from slumber. Blinking, he forced the darkened world into focus, his eyes casting around unfamiliar surroundings. This wasn't his room. Where was he?

That's right. They were at the beach.

There was someone screaming. It sounded like it was coming from… across the hall.

The girls!

Heart in his throat, Gray bolted from bed. His heavy limbs refused to cooperate, depositing him in a painful heap on the floor. Cursing, he untangled himself from the sheets, flinging them aside.

Gray scrambled to his feet. He lunged for the door, nearly yanking it its hinges in his haste. His bare feet pounded across on the wooden floor, driving him down the hall in a matter of seconds.

Gray hammered on the door with his fist. "Hey! You girls okay in there? Erza? Lucy?"

The screams died into a mournful keening.

"I'm coming in," he called, muttering a quick apology as he forced the lock with his magic.

He flung the door open.

The light from the open window was enough for Gray to make out the outline of two beds. The one by the open window looked empty. Judging by the luggage next to it, Gray guessed that it was Lucy's.

The other bed held little more than a quivering lump of blankets, caught in the throes of a nightmare.

"Erza…"

Gray slipped into the room silently, fumbling for the switch of the table lamp. He had no doubt Erza would kill him if he snuck up on her, even on a good day. He shuddered to think about the consequences of accidentally scaring her tonight.

Gray crouched down, bringing himself to eye-level with her. "Erza? Erza, wake up!" He gave her shoulder a shake. "Come on, snap out of it. You have to wake up!"

Erza's sobs broke off with a shuddering gasp. She looked at him with wild, terrified eyes.

"It's okay! It's okay. It's just a dream. You're okay."

"G-Gray?" she choked.

"Yeah. It's just me."

She blinked at him, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. Her body heaved with harsh, shallow breaths that made Gray's chest ache in sympathy. That must have been one heck of a nightmare.

"Hey. Hey, you're okay. I promise." He brushed the pad of his thumb against her cheek. "Look, you're safe, okay? I'm right here."

She gave a shaky nod, swallowing hard.

Gray was dying to ask Erza what had upset her. What could possibly shake Erza so badly that she'd ended up crying? The girl had a spine made of titanium, for crying out loud!

But Gray wasn't about to ask.

Erza never stuck her nose in his business. He respected her enough to do the same. She'd talk if she wanted to. And he'd be there to listen. Then she'd be around to return the favor. That was just how they worked.

Apparently, Erza was _not_ in a sharing mood tonight.

"I'm okay, Gray," she said in a small voice. She dragged the back of her hand across her eyes. "Why don't you go back to bed?"

Gray pressed his lips together. "Look, I'll leave if you want me to, but are you really ready for me to go back to my room?"

The uncertain look in her eyes was all the answer he needed.

"Sorry. I just... hate when you see me like this…" she mumbled, hunching deeper into her blankets so only her eyes were visible.

He stood up, turning around abruptly. "Well, I'm not looking," he said.

"What?"

"I'm not looking," he repeated.

Gray took a careful step backwards. Then he eased himself to the floor, settling cross-legged with his back against the edge of the bed.

"Y'know, I get them too sometimes," he said quietly.

"You do?" Erza's voice was soft and breathy behind him.

"Sure. Doesn't everybody?" Gray shrugged.

"Well, what do you do?" asked Erza.

"Um… I roll over and go back to sleep?" said Gray.

Erza huffed. "That makes me feel _so_ much better. Thank you."

"Glad to be of help," he said with feigned suaveness. Gray hadn't miss the sarcasm in her response. He was just ignoring it. Trying to cheer Erza up was the first priority.

And it looked it was working, his flippant response coaxing a watery chuckle from her.

"You know me and Natsu are right down the hall, right? Or I am, at least," he reminded her gently. He hadn't specifically checked for the Dragon-Slayer when he bolted from the room, but he didn't remember seeing him.

Erza didn't answer.

Gray could hear the ocean. The steady rhythm of the waves filled him with a sense of peace. Gray's eyes were starting to droop. The open window brought in the scent of the sea.

"Where's Lucy?" asked Erza, suddenly.

"Hmph?" Gray jerked himself awake. The unpleasant pricking of pins and needles crawled up the back of his calves. "Lucy? Don't know. She wasn't here when I came in," he said, shifting so he could stretch his legs out.

"What do you mean she wasn't here?" asked Erza. "Where else would she be? It's the middle of the night, Gray."

"I wouldn't worry too much about it," he said, his eyes drifting shut again. "Flame Brain's bed was empty too. They probably went out for a walk or something." He tipped his head back to rest against the edge of the mattress. It was too low, so he slid forward, angling his torso to try and compensate for the height difference.

After a few minutes, he heard her sigh. "I didn't mean to wake you up. I'm sorry."

"Don't worry 'bout it. Couldn't sleep anyways," he mumbled.

"That's hard to believe when you're falling asleep right here."

"Don't care if you believe me or not."

"You don't have to sit like that," she said. "That doesn't look comfortable."

"It's not."

"Then turn back around. You're going to hurt your neck if you keep that up."

Gray cracked a leaden eye open. He rolled his head to the side, shooting her a glance. "Would you make up your mind? First you tell me not to look, then you want me to turn around," he grumbled. But he pivoted obediently, settling into a suitably comfortable position. He pillowed his head on his crossed arms with a sigh, his eyes already shut.

"Gray? Would you…? That is…"

"Hm?"

"Don't go," she said, her voice no more than a whisper.

"Not going anywhere," he told her in a sleepy mumble.

"Promise?"

"Mhm. I'll be here… whenever you need me. You know that."

* * *

 **There's a lot of trust and respect going on between Gray and Erza. And probably a great deal of restraint on his part, given how he feels.  
**

 **Next time, in the final chapter of** ** _[Mazeverse] Happiness Comes in Waves_ , the team wraps up their trip to the beach _:_** _"That was a pretty wicked vacation," said Natsu._

 **Stop back next Friday for the final installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	5. Erza Burns Breakfast

**Happy Friday!**

 **This is the last chapter of _Happiness Comes in Waves._ Thanks to everyone who's read and supported! If you enjoyed this fic, please consider favoriting or leaving me a comment.  
**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Erza wasn't quite sure where it all went wrong.

Dark plumes rose from the pan in her hand, filling the room with a sharp, bitter smell. The incessant screams of the smoke detector heralded her failure.

"What's going on here?" A sleepy-looking Gray, padded down the hall, still pulling his shirt over his head. "It's too early for this crap, Natsu," he complained. Steel-colored eyes darted around the room, drawing together when they landed on Erza. " _Really_?" he said, shaking his head.

"Good morning?" she tried, unable to keep the embarrassed flush from her face. This is _not_ how she wanted her team to see her. Erza turned the burner off, snapping the plastic dial back into place.

"That's one word for it," said Gray dryly. He dragged a chair under the smoke-detector, climbing up to yank the batteries out of it. "And what exactly are those supposed to be?" he frowned, pointing at the blackened mass that was meant to be their breakfast.

"…eggs?" said Erza, biting her lip.

Gray arched an eyebrow. "And that?" he asked, pointing at the rubbery, grey mass that she had plated earlier.

"Um… sausage…"

Gray prodded at the sausage with his fork. "Yeah. All right," he said, prying the pan out of her hand and icing-over the contents. He scraped her poor, charred eggs into the garbage before tossing the pan into the sink with a clunk. Then he pitched the floppy sausage after them.

And that was how the rest of the team found them. Natsu traipsed into the kitchen at a jog. Lucy trailed behind him with Happy in her arms. Erza wondered when they had come back inside. She knew for a fact that neither of them had come back to bed last night, since both their beds were empty when she got up to make breakfast.

"Whoa, what happened here?" asked Natsu, sniffing the air. "Wow, someone sure made a mess!"

"Hey, Flame Brain. Make yourself useful and crack open a window, would ya?" said Gray.

"You guys okay?" asked Lucy, her eyes wide. "We heard the fire alarm and—"

"Everything's fine," said Erza. "I was simply—"

"Sure," interrupted Gray. "I was just showing-off my Fire-Make magic. Guess I went a little too far."

Erza couldn't tell if Gray was joking or trying to cover for her. But if he was serious, it was the most ridiculous lie that Erza had ever heard. Of course, Natsu bought the whole story, hook, line and sinker.

" _What_? You do _not_ have Fire-Make magic," said Natsu, crossing his arms.

Gray jammed his hands in his pockets, leaning against the wall coolly. "How do you know?"

"'Cause you don't!" yelped Natsu. "You can't make stuff with fire!"

"I agree," Happy chimed in, holding up a chubby paw. "It's pretty unlikely."

"Sure, I can. I can make a mess. But you would know all about that, wouldn't you, you Pyro?" drawled Gray.

"What?!" growled Natsu, squaring off against his rival. "You trying to pick a fight, Popsicle Pants?"

"Guys, that's enough," said Lucy. "We've got one more day here before we have to home. Let's not ruin it, okay? Look, why don't we just go out for breakfast?" asked Lucy.

"How can you suggest such a thing, Lucy?" asked Erza, horrified. "A home-cooked breakfast is a key part of a team-building retreat," she insisted.

"Right," agreed Gray, nodding sagely. "So… Does anybody here know how to cook?" asked Gray. "Anyone?"

"I know how to—" started Natsu.

"Anybody _else_?" interrupted Gray.

"Um, well…" said Lucy.

"No? All right. So we're going out for breakfast," said Gray, grinning approvingly at Lucy.

"Thank goodness," said Lucy.

Erza opened her mouth to protest. "But—"

"No 'buts.' Come on," said Gray, clamping down on her shoulders squarely and steering her toward the door.

"So what are we in the mood for?" asked Lucy as they strolled down the street.

"Fish!" said Happy.

"Yeah, no," said Lucy. "We're not having mackerel for breakfast."

"Well, I actually like salmon," said Happy.

"Same thing."

"They're not the same thing at all," protested Happy.

"It's just breakfast," said Gray, squinting at the storefronts across the street. "Look, let's just find a place so we can get this over with."

"What do you mean 'just breakfast'?" asked Erza, aghast. Perish the thought! There was no such thing as just breakfast.

"It's _just breakfast_ ," Gray repeated. "It's not worth arguing over. Unless there was someplace specific you wanted to go, I vote we just pick the next place we pass."

"As long as it's not too expensive," said Lucy. "After this little trip, I really need to save up for this month's rent."

"I wanted a more traditional breakfast," protested Erza.

"I'm sure they'll have something," said Gray. "You can get eggs and stuff just about anywhere if it's still early enough."

"Do you think they'll have strawberry cake?" asked Erza.

"Erza, how is that a traditional breakfast? That's not even breakfast food!" said Gray giving her an incredulous look.

Erza shrugged. There was never a wrong time of day for strawberry cake. Breakfast was as good a time as any.

"Natsu, where are you going?" asked Lucy suddenly.

Natsu had turned the corner and started off on his own. He looked back over his shoulder, grinning broadly. "I smell something awesome!" he said, sniffing at the air. "I think I just found our breakfast!"

"Hey, wait up, Natsu!" said Lucy, chasing after him.

Gray and Erza exchanged glances.

"I suppose we follow them," Erza shrugged.

"We're letting the idiot lead? Great idea!" said Gray sarcastically.

Going out for breakfast ended up being a fine idea. Natsu's nose had led them to a local café that with a fairly extensive menu, but reasonable prices. It wasn't quite the same as as having the team share a home-cooked meal in the beach house kitchen, but Erza had to admit that it was passable.

Erza took a bite of her strawberry French toast. Crunchy on the outside and custardy on the inside, with just the right amount of sweetness. Erza's taste buds were in strawberry heaven!

"Told you this was the right place," said Natsu, before shoveling more eggs in his mouth.

"I agree," she said, the sweet toast giving a pleasant crunch when she speared another bite with her fork. "I commend you on your choice."

Natsu grinned, puffing out his chest.

"Yeah, yeah," said Gray, rolling his eyes.

"That was a pretty wicked vacation," said Natsu.

"Aye, sir!" agreed Happy.

"We should do stuff like this more often. As a group," said Lucy, nodding.

"No argument there," agreed Gray. He gave a faint smile as his eyes darted to meet Erza's over the top of his mug.

Erza smiled back. She couldn't have agreed more.

* * *

 **D'awww. Aren't they adorable?**

 **Who's feeling comfortable right now? Yeah? Well, don't. :) Be afraid. Be _very_ afraid. Anyone who's keeping score knows I haven't pulled the rug out from under any of our ships lately. Since this is the Mazeverse, and no ship is safe... we're over due for an upset. _Happiness Comes in Waves_ wasn't just a beach pun. Waves go up... and come crashing back down. :P  
**

 **So here's the plan for the rest of Season 1 of Mazeverse. Yes, I've decided to split it into seasons because of how long it's getting, lol. There are 4 more stories in this season. _Much Ado About Nothing_ starts up next week. It's the prequel that sets up the season finale. It'll be followed by _Joyride_ (Gray has a motorcycle!) and _Matchmaker, Heartbreaker, Total Sucker_ (a Lyon-centric RomCom and one of my favorite pieces to date). **

**Then the season 1 finale will be _Victory Gala_. It touches on almost every ship, resulting in #EndGame for one, but a complete crash and burn for 3 or 4 others. Sorry! (Actually, not sorry. I heart drama. XD) Though in all honesty, I'm a little bit afraid, because I'm pretty sure _Victory Gala_ grenades just about everyone's OTP, so nobody's going to like me at that point...lol. But that's the point of a season finale, isn't it? To annoy you enough that you either rage quit or ensure that you come back for the next season (which is already in the works). ;)  
**

 **Stop back next Friday for _[Mazeverse]_ ****_Much Ado About Nothing_** **, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


End file.
